Vacuum cup attachment device



June 14, 1960 c. A. VAN DUSEN VACUUM CUP ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed May 7, '1956 6%42125 4. VAN 0055A;

INVENTOR.

VACUUM CUP ATTACHMENT DEVICE Charles Albert Van Dusen, Escondido, Califi, assignor to Van Dusen Engineering Company, Escondido, Califi, a co-partnership Filed May 1, 1956, so. No. 583,103

1 Claim. (Cl; 248-206 This invention relates to vacuum attachment devices and has particular reference to an improved vacuum cup attachment device.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide vacuum attachment devices having improved means for supporting articles without the necessity for special supporting elements and without requiring that the user drill special holes in the devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum cup attachment device having an outer mounting plate formed of metal and provided with a plurality of preformed mounting holes for supporting articles thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide vacuum attachment devices which are adapted to be used on substantially any type of plane surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described above employing a rubberlike diaphragm or suction member, the diaphragm having means for the reception of an adhesive material for use of the device on relatively pervious surfaces.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a vacuum cup attachment device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2, but on an enlarged scale and illustrating the device in attached position.

Referring now to the drawings, the vacuum cup attachment device generally designated 10 is supported on the surface 11 of a wall 12 of wood, plaster or other material having a relatively pervious or irregular surface. The device includes a diaphragm or vacuum cup '13, preferably of synthetic rubber and generally convex in cross-sectional shape. The peripheral side walls 13:: of the diaphragm are substantially cylindrical in shape, terminating at the bottom in a depending tapered bead 14. Spaced inwardly from the bead 14 is an internal, annular tapered bead-15, the two beads forming therebetween in annular pocket 17. An annular groove 18 is provided in the upper surface of the diaphragm adjacent the outer edge thereof.

Overlying the outer surface of the diaphragm is a metallic housing including an annular shell 19 having a rim 20 which is received within the groove 18. The shell is provided with a cylindrical mounting portion 21 having a top mounting face or disk 22. The disk is provided with a plurality of closely-spaced perforations 23 of a size to receive conventional self-tapping screws. Preferably, the perforations are produced in a single operation piercing die in a punch press which first pierces the holes on the down stroke and presses the slugs 24 back into the holes on the up stroke, leaving a smooth surface. The die is made to place the slugs in the holes States Patent 2,940,713 Patented June 14, 1960 so firmly that they wont be disturbed by plating, painting or other subsequent manufacturing operations or by handling. Since only certain of these slugs are pushed out where screws are inserted during mounting of the device, the exposed portion of the part 21 presents a smooth painted or plated and polished surface, the remaining slugs being invisible. As indicated, the upper surface of the shell is preferably painted or plated, the paint or plate film 25 serving as added means to retain the slugs 24 in place as shown.

The lower edge 26 of the cylindrical portion 21 overlies the outer periphery 27 of a rigid metallic plate or disk 28 which is imbedded in the vacuum cups 13 and bonded thereto. An internally threaded metallic element 30 is secured centrally of the plate 28 by 'any convenient means such as, for example, by welding, and a tension screw 31 is threaded into the element 30. The mounting disk 22 is provided with a counter-sunk central aperture 32 through which the tension screw 31 extends, the screw being provided with a flat head 32 flush with the upper surface of the disk 22.

I11 mounting the device 10 upon the wall 12, liquid glue or other adhesive material, preferably water soluble mucilage, is placed in the annular pocket 17 and, with the shell 19 removed, the diaphragm is pushed flat against the surface 11 so that substantially all of the air is exhausted between the surfaces 11 and 35. The shell 19 is installed and the tension screw 31 is inserted through the aperture '32, and a screw driver (not shown) is used to turn the screw relative to the metallic threaded element 30. This action serves to pull the central portion of the diaphragm upwardly and away from the surface 11 to create a vacuum space 36 between the surfaces 11 and 35 and to apply sealing force against the surface within the pocket '17. Thus, the diaphragm assures the position shown in Figure 3, with the beads 14 and 15 and the pocket 17 flattened against the wall surface 11. These portions of the diaphragm are subjected 'to relatively high compressive forces by the edge of the portion 20 of the shell, thereby effectively preventing entrance of air into the vacuum space 20. The glue serves to render impervious the glue-contacted portions of the wall, and the thin, tapered beads are easily forced by atmospheric pressure into the irregularities of the surface, leaving a crackless, filleted edge which forms an effective, easily cleaned seal. At the same time, since the edge 26 overlies the outer periphery 27 of the metallic plate 28, a portion of the diaphragm 13 is confined between the shell 19 and the plate 28, and is also subjected to high compressive stresses with the result that airis prevented from leaking inwardly through this zone of compression. These two zones of compression form, in effect, concentric leakproof gaskets preventing, with the impervious shell 19 and plate 28, entrance of air into the vacuum space 36.

As indicated above, the beads 14 and 15 and the pocket 17 readily flatten under pressure from the shell 19 into the shape shown in Figure 3. The thin outer edge of the outer bead 14 not only assumes a fillet shape to provide for easy cleaning after attachment, but is flexible to permit atmospheric pressure to force the thin edge into any depression or other irregularities in the surface 11. The flat area so produced provides ample gluing surface and the vacuum Within the device provides sufricient pressure to secure a firm glue joint to the surface 11, thus enabling the attachment of the device to semi-impervious construction such as plaster, wood, plywood, wallboard, etc.

It is to be understood that vacuum attachment devices made in accordance with this invention may be used in supporting various objects and devices such as towel racks, can openers, pencil sharpeners, etc. Thereg, seem-1s fore i i desirabl t a mouu ingwplat QI surf e b provided on the vacuum attachment device to which any one of several types of devices may be secured without equi ngenecialz taqhm n memb r o atch n d i ed ho es Ih tnu tip city Lof ap rtures p ov d such a m u tin surface, s nc they ver su s -1y th en e u f c of I Qun in-g pla A and r r so l sely spaced ztha r ard o he l t on o the holes o he a le t be supp e ubsta m hing of =fl1es h e t the ape u e can b o ta ne for s cu in th art c e t th a umratt-achme t devic ut l zin conve tional s l iapp sec e s While the invention has been shown and described in o n t o wi a c r ul v u cup o d ap ag it will he understood -;that the cup may be made in oval shape or even -in a square or rectangular shape, as ,desir d, and that the oop a ing pa ts e de ic "are shape i mi manner.

Having fully described mytinvention it to be understood that I do not wish to :be limited to the details set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claim.

.I laim:

Means for use with a vacuum-type mounting having a resilient vacuum cup, comprising: an impervious relatively thin sheet metal shell having a continuous rim adapted to compress a continuous portion of the vacuum cup against a mounting surface to aid in adhering the same thereto, said shell including a mounting plate porn aving a 'tp uralityto Ismail p r orati ns i predetermined arrangement, a nd slugs in said perforations which are unattachedtoathe wafls of the perforations and are held in place by friction;

References v(Zitedzin ttheifile. ofz'this .patent UNBBED fSTAZEES PATENTS Maison et a1 Sept. 21, 1915 2,557,434 Hoverder June 19, 1951 2,597, 4 Sub n M y 20, 952

2, 6 34,07,6 Van Dusen Apr. 7, 1 953 20 2,730,325 Van Dusen et a1 Jan. 10, 1956 

